Questions on ARs?

[danc46]

Anybody here have questions on ARs, such as changing barrels, adding accessories such as red dots, scopes, weapon lights, etc, ask me and I’ll be glad to help.
i was supposed to teach a class the past spring at OKC GUN CLUB for building ARs but we pt it off because of uncertainity how I was going to handle radiation for cancer.
i went through a Colt AR armorers course in the early 90s, built my first one in the mid 80s, fixed several of them for LE friends, etc.
If I’m unsure of your question I won‘t BS you or take a WAG on repair. A non functioning firearm is only good for a club or collecting rust in the corner.
That's my thing nowadays, helping other shooters or teaching kids.
Years ago when the AK kits could be bought for $99, we had an AK building party in my garage. About 20 guys showed up, one from Altus, one from Miami, etc.
Built some long lasting friendships from things like that. Shooters aren’t a brotherhood but I still believe we should help each other and damn sure not for financial gain.

 

[Kwaynem]

I have one AR it’s a diamondback has a short hand guard and it’s too fat I would like to put a full length on it do I need to change the gas block too? I have no idea what to do with one other than feed it

 

[danc46]

I have one AR it’s a diamondback has a short hand guard and it’s too fat I would like to put a full length on it do I need to change the gas block too? I have no idea what to do with one other than feed it

Changing a free float handguard almost always requires a change in the barrel nut. As far as changing the gas block, mist often you’ll have to remove it to change the barrel nut to change the free float handguard. But you should be able to use it again.

 

[danc46]

I have one AR it’s a diamondback has a short hand guard and it’s too fat I would like to put a full length on it do I need to change the gas block too? I have no idea what to do with one other than feed it

We just built an AR for two young girls to deer hunt with. I out on a 9.5” Handguard on the 16” 1-8” pencil barrel. It worked fine. Their dad wanted the full length Handguard too. But those girls both killed a buck this year on my place with that AR. They don’t want anyone touch g that rifle to make changes.
what I’m getting at if you want to change that handguard for the “cool factor” build another upper and swap them out.

 

[danc46]

 

[rockchalk06]

We just built an AR for two young girls to deer hunt with. I out on a 9.5” Handguard on the 16” 1-8” pencil barrel. It worked fine. Their dad wanted the full length Handguard too. But those girls both killed a buck this year on my place with that AR. They don’t want anyone touch g that rifle to make changes.
what I’m getting at if you want to change that handguard for the “cool factor” build another upper and swap them out.

Growing up in Kansas, a .24 caliber was the smallest you could use for deer. I'm sure there were a few kids turned off from that. Having an AR would have been awesome.

Fast forward to moving here, buddy kills them with a 55 grain SP. Apparently LOTS of hunters take deer here with them.

I have an 18" SPR I built. My 110 pound son shoots lights out with it. He's kinda recoil sensitive. More with his autism though. Recoils about like a breaked 12 pound 5.56 should. He can shoot it all day and never flinch.

 

[Kwaynem]

We just built an AR for two young girls to deer hunt with. I out on a 9.5” Handguard on the 16” 1-8” pencil barrel. It worked fine. Their dad wanted the full length Handguard too. But those girls both killed a buck this year on my place with that AR. They don’t want anyone touch g that rifle to make changes.
what I’m getting at if you want to change that handguard for the “cool factor” build another upper and swap them out.

Cool factor I don’t give a shit about going to set it down and grabbing the end of the hot fucking barrel pisses me off!

 

[SoonerP226]

If I’m unsure of your question I won‘t BS you or take a WAG on repair.

Lame.

 

[danc46]

Cool factor I don’t give a shit about going to set it down and grabbing the end of the hot fucking barrel pisses me off!

Damn good reason. I’ve got short hand guards, long hand guards, etc. Different rifles for different purposes. I like the front sight on the barrel for all purpose rifles. Nit real crazy about da BUIS miutef on the handguard even though I have some rigged tha way.

 

[danc46]

Lame.

May be lame for you but I seem to roll pretty good that way.

 

[danc46]

Growing up in Kansas, a .24 caliber was the smallest you could use for deer. I'm sure there were a few kids turned off from that. Having an AR would have been awesome.

Fast forward to moving here, buddy kills them with a 55 grain SP. Apparently LOTS of hunters take deer here with them.

I have an 18" SPR I built. My 110 pound son shoots lights out with it. He's kinda recoil sensitive. More with his autism though. Recoils about like a breaked 12 pound 5.56 should. He can shoot it all day and never flinch.

The projectile makes a world of difference hunting with the 223. One of those young ladies dropped her first doe DRT at 150 yards with a Nosler 64 grain bonded core. We have had great results with that Bullet over 24.5 gr of Varget.

 

[KurtM]

Ok, while I don't think sights/optics/ red dots are "accessories", I'll let that slide. I got a little question for ya on an AR-10. I'll set the stage for ya. It is a 16" barreled DPMS. It has a J.P. free float tube. It has. A 552 Eo-Tech for a sight system and it has a Sure-Fire suppressor. This rifle is M.O.A. capable and some times a bit better. It shoots most any 165/ 168 bullet very well with 5 rounds usually hovering around 3/4" -1" at 100. Yards... Now on to the question when I drop in a lightened carrier, it strings shots horizontally, now I'm not talking a bit of stringing, I'm talking 5-6" groups. The groups are damn near perfectly horizontal like take a straight edge type of horizontal line. Drop the standard carrier back in and back to nicely centered 1" groups. The gas key and gas tube are not binding on the light carrier, which can cause some grouping issues. The gas tube is not bottoming out in the gas key of the light carrier. When I drop the light carrier into my other AR-10 it shoots just fine with no change in grouping. What up?

 

[ClintC]

same bolt different carrier or different bolt and carrier.

 

[KurtM]

Same bolt, bolt from other AR- 10, carrier and bolt from other AR-10, light carrier in other AR-10 all shoot good groups!

Light carrier in 16" equals bad with the bolt it came with from DPMS , groups bad with bolt from other AR-10 and light carrier, groups bad with light carrier and J.P. enhanced bolt. Groups bad with a second J.P. lightened carrier, not just the one.


Groups good with any bolt and a standard weight carrier

 

[KurtM]

Well, John Paul couldn't figure it out, I certainly can't. Only one we've ever encountered that we just can't explain.

 

[JEVapa]

The others have 20” barrels?

 

[Kingfish]

Seems like you've hit a conundrum. The only other thing I can think of is if you have one, try a heavier buffer behind the lighter carrier. I have no idea if it will change anything, but it would at least be another piece of the puzzle. You also didn't mention if you have an adjustable gas block. If so, did you try reducing the gas with the lighter carrier?

 

[KurtM]

Yes, adjustable block yes tried many different settings to just barely lock back to need to weld the back of the buffer tube . Never tried a heavier buffer, because I was trying to shave off weight. Finally tuned it back to run suppressed with standard carrier. Hell I was only saving about 3/4# so screw it! This thing is absolutely reliable so it will just stay porky. it is a night time pig gun and I'm sure the pigs won't care if it's a bit heavy. J.P. had if for over 2 months and could never figure it out, and I know he tried lots of stuff.

 

[KurtM]

Here it is with a two for one last summer. There have been a few times that I swear the first piece of brass was just hitting the ground as it was locking back. I have 7 DPMS 20 rounders for it, and each and every one has been very reliable. I got real lucky because those mags were hit and miss. I run the Eo-Tech all the way forward on my night guns, so my night vision fits behind them when I shoulder the rifle. This allows me to hold the rifle just like you would during the day and look through the sight with my night vision. I HATE lasers! and holding up a rifle to scan all night long is way too tiring when your walking them up, so I go with head mounted N.V. and just shoot normally. I've hit stuff out to 120 yards or so, and far prefer this to any of the weapons mounted night sights. And notice..... no bench!

 

[danc46]

changing BCGs in an AR will change the barrel harmonics, thus the grouping as it heats up. Simplest explanation is on the stringing horizontally your bolt is changing the way it locks up in the following shots as it heats up.